Echoes of Agony

Chapter Eighteen

This chapter is dedicated to UmmAmmaar1, for her support and dedication to this book!

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Later that day, all of Zaytun's friends visited her. Nana had informed Asma after seeing how sick Zaytun was, and then Asma had told everyone else. Some came alone, while others arrived in pairs. Zahra had even cooked soup for her, which Zaytun appreciated, but Habeebah disagreed with the idea.

Zaytun was with Asma, and her friend refused to leave her alone. Asma had noticed that AbdulJalal had not been taking care of her, which alarmed Asma, and she urged Zaytun to tell her what was wrong.

"Is AbdulJalal not aware that you're sick?" Asma asked when Zaytun returned after throwing up following dinner.

"He does. We were supposed to go to the doctor, but he had to attend some important meeting," Zaytun lied.

"You look sick, though. You haven't left the house for two days straight, and your face looks pale. You've gotten too thin, kin rame sosai wallahy." Asma looked at her with a stern face, "And he goes to a meeting, leaving you alone. You're not telling me something, Olive."

"It's just the sickness. There's nothing to tell, Asma'u."

"Yeah, sure, there's nothing. I can see there's something wrong between you two. Your husband is still not home even at 11 PM when you're sick and staying at home. He should be here to take you to the hospital. It's an alarming signal for me that you keep vomiting for a month."

"We are fine. Really. You don't need to worry. I'll go to the clinic tomorrow first thing in the morning."

"Zaytun, how long have we been friends? Since primary school. You were seven, and I was nine when we first became friends. I know you more than you know yourself. You're not looking happy." Asma interrupted her when the younger woman wanted to protest. "No, listen to me, please, Zaytun. I'm not just your best friend. I'm someone you can tell everything to. Even if you commit a crime and hide the body, I will still protect you. That's how far I would go for you. And if something is bothering you, you know you can tell me."

She cupped Zaytun's swollen face between her hands. That was the last straw for Zaytun, who began to cry so hard that she was shaking. Asma engulfed her in her embrace. Zaytun cried on her shoulder. Asma had never seen the younger woman this distressed. Zaytun had cried, of course. She cried when her father yelled at her, she cried when she didn't pass a test, she cried when she fought with Asma for the first time. Asma had witnessed all of this, but she had never seen her in a state where she cried this much. That brought tears to Asma's eyes as she cried with her friend.

"I don't know what to do, Asma. I can't even tell my parents what's going on, and I visit them on a weekly basis. My Mama keeps asking me why I'm all bones and sad; she's very worried. Everything hurts. I- I thought that maybe after a while, we would be just fine. That he would love me, that it was just my dream. It was only a dream, and I was the only one in it. He doesn't- Abdu-AbdulJalal will never love me. I'm- I'm just some stupid woman who will be used and thrown away after." Zaytun finally opened up to Asma, admitting that she didn't think AbdulJalal loved her. She initially denied that anything was bothering her, but Asma persisted. Eventually, she broke down, crying uncontrollably. Asma held her tightly, trying to comfort her and understand what was going on.

"Shh, Zaytun, you are and will never be a useless woman. Do you hear me? If AbdulJalal can't see the beauty in you, then gidansu neh. You don't know how many men are waiting in line for you. The problem is not with you. Zaytun, look into my eyes. I have never lied to you, not even when I hit a man on the head, and he passed out, thinking he died. I told you I killed someone, and we both tried to hide it. You will find someone who will care for you and love you just as much as you love them or even more. AbdulJalal is not the only man in this world."